QUFA Digest: August 2026

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Hello QUFA Members,

Please see the August 2026 edition of Digest below.

Bargaining and Ratification Update

  • Please see the QUFA Bargaining page for updates and information on ratification of the tentative agreement. You received an important email with tentative agreement info on August 27. On Monday Aug. 31 please attend the Meeting to Authorize a Ratification Vote for Queen’s-QUFA Tentative Agreement (1-2:30pm). Zoom link sent via email.

Welcome to the incoming QUFA Executive and Council

  • QUFA welcomes the returning and incoming new members of the Executive Committee and Council of Representatives. To see a list of those members, and all QUFA committee members, please visit the QUFA People page on the website.

Get Involved

  • QUFA Welcome Back BBQ: Join us on Wednesday September 23 at 4pm for the annual BBQ at Breakwater Park (corner of King St. @ St Lawrence Ave.).
  • UPP Divestment Committee: At the Dec. 18 2025 Fall General Meeting, the membership called on QUFA to form an ad hoc committee to advocate for divestment of UPP investments from entities producing weapons that support violations of human rights. If you are interested in joining this committee, please send a statement of interest noting your relevant expertise and/or background to QUFA Executive Director Leslie Jermyn at qufaed@queensu.ca and QUFA Vice President Melissa Houghtaling at m.houghtaling@queensu.ca. The Terms of Reference for the committee is included in the May issue of QUFA Voices (p. 3).
  • QUFA Committees: Please reach out if you are interested in joining any of QUFA’s committees. See a full list of committees on the QUFA website.
  • QUFA Caucuses:
    • BIPOC Caucus: Supports and advocates for members who are Black, Indigenous, or racialized and/or visible minorities. It is organized to collectively discuss workplace matters specific to QUFA’s BIPOC members and work towards racial equity in our workplace. Contact Co-Chairs Ayca Tomac (ayca.tomac@queensu.ca) or Norma Möllers (norma.mollers@queensu.ca) for more info.
    • Caregivers Caucus: Connects members involved in care responsibilities (e.g., young children, seniors, family members with disabilities) to share experiences, concerns, and resources. Contact QUFA Political Action and Communications Committee (PACC) Chair Vanessa Thompson (vt25@queensu.ca) for more info.
    • New Faculty Caucus: Connects recently appointed faculty (up to 5 years) to share experiences and concerns pertinent to new faculty. Contact QUFA PACC Chair Vanessa Thompson (vt25@queensu.ca) for more info.

Notifications

  • Compulsory Suppliers: If you have been subject to the compulsory supplier requirements through Queen’s procurement processes (e.g., via acQuire), QUFA would like to hear from you. What has your experience been like when acquiring materials for research or teaching? Please email qufa@queensu.ca with your feedback/comments.
  • Please be advised that the QUFA Office will close on Fridays throughout the summer until the Friday before Labour Day. The Office is also closed on statutory holidays in August and September. Please feel free to email staff during those times, and we will respond when the office reopens. Out-of-office email messages will indicate who to contact when people are away from the Office for longer periods.

Deadlines

  • Annual Reports are normally due on October 2 per Article 28 of the Collective Agreement, but there has been a one-time deadline extension to Monday October 5 this year. The Annual Reports cover the 2025-2026 academic year (July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026). Please note the different processes for Full-Time Faculty and Term Adjuncts.
    • Term Adjuncts need to fill out Appendix F in the Collective Agreement. These reviews are important not only as an annual review, but they are requirements for General Right of Reappointment (GRoR) and Continuing Adjunct conversion applications. In the past, GRoR has required 3 completed evaluations, but please see recent QUFA correspondence about the new tentative agreement and how it may affect these provisions. Continuing Adjunct conversion requires 6 evaluations. See Article 32 of the Collective Agreement for details.
    • The 2025-26 Annual Report covers teaching, service and research work during the following terms: 2025 Summer Term (July/August 2025); 2025 Fall Term (September-December 2025); 2026 Winter Term (January-April 2026); 2026 Spring Term (May-June 2026).
    • For questions on Annual Reports, please contact QUFA Member Services Officer, Doug Nesbitt, (d.nesbitt@queensu.ca).
  • Tuition Support Plan: The fall submission window will be September 1 to November 1, 2026. See Appendix N of the Collective Agreement and click here for the application.
  • Childcare Support Plan: The annual submission window will be January 1 to February 1, 2027. Please see Appendix M of the Collective Agreement and click here for the application.
  • The Fall Adjunct Fund deadline is usually in early October. We will notify you of that deadline when it is officially set.

For Your Information

  • New Members: If you are a recent hire at Queen’s, you can fill out an Association Membership form here. To learn more about being a Member of the union Bargaining Unit and a Member of the Association, click here.
  • Please see QUFA Voices, Governance Watch, and Campus Conversations for updates on recent business and important issues.
  • Check our News & Events feed on the bottom of the website homepage for updates: www.qufa.ca
  • Visit QUFA on Facebook and Instagram.

Sincerely,

QUFA Staff